Piqua boys face road challenge

Travel to Greenville Friday night

Mike Ullery/Daily Call CJ Davis shoots the ball against Tippecanoe earlier this year

By Rob Kiser

rkiser@civitasmedia.com

The Piqua boys basketball team will face a road challenge Friday night when they travel to Greenville for a GWOC North basketball game.

Piqua, 6-4 overall and 1-1 in the GWOC North, will come in riding the momentum of a 69-67 win over Fairmont Tuesday night, while Greenville will be motivated after suffering its first home loss since December of 2013 Tuesday, when Fairborn dropped the Wave to 4-3 overall. Greenville is 2-0 in the GWOC North.

“We know it is going to be a tough game,” Piqua coach Heath Butler said. “Clay Guillozet has played the last two games after sufering an injury. They are the defending GWOC North champions.”

Before being injured, Guillozet averaged 26 points a game to lead the GWOC. The 6-foot-3 senior is complimented by 6-6 junior Isaiah Gable, who averages 20.2 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Junior guard Devin Hendrix is coming off a 12-point game against Fairborn.

“(Clay) Guillozet is the leading scorer in the GWOC and (Isaiah) Gable averages 20 points a game,” Butler said. “There is no question those are two of the best players in the GWOC. But, we can’t be focused on just those two guys. They have other guys who can hurt you.”

Piqua had let a 15-point first-half lead get away against Fairmont, before battling back. Derrick Gullett made a layup with two seconds to go to win the game for the Indians.

“I thought we had a lot of guys step up in the game,” Butler said about Piqua snapping a two-game skid. “When you get a win like that, it puts everything behind you and gives you a lot of momentum. We had a really good film session today.”

Greenville is also an interesting environment.

“We feel like you are shooting in a corner at the one end,” Butler said. “Then, you shoot into the stage at the other end. Their students do a great job and it was place where fans are close to the floor. It is a definite home court advantage. We didn’t play bad there last year. We just have to be ready to handle whatever happens.”

On Saturday, the Indians will face St. Marys, who is 3-6 on the season.

“No matter what happens Friday, we have to come back focused on St. Marys Saturday night,” Butler said. “They knocked us off up there last year and had a lot of young players, so we are going to face those same guys again. We just have to focus and do a good job on the boards.”

No matter what happens in Friday night’s road challenge.

Rob Kiser is Sports Editor for the Daily Call. He can be reached at (937) 451-3334.

Mike Ullery/Daily Call CJ Davis shoots the ball against Tippecanoe earlier this year

http://www.dailycall.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2016/01/web1_122915mju_bb_phs_21.jpgMike Ullery/Daily Call CJ Davis shoots the ball against Tippecanoe earlier this year